PARLIAMENT The Bar Council has come under fire from Umno lawmakers in Parliament, who accused it of being pro-opposition and insensitive to its Muslim members.

Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar claimed that the council has deviated from its main purpose and now serves as a spokesperson for Pakatan Rakyat.

In view of this, Bung wants the council to be revamped.

“They are supposed to discuss issues relating to the nation and lawyers but instead they are getting involved in street rallies.

“I suggest that the council be revamped and not be allowed to do as it wishes,” Bung ( left ) added.

Tanjung Karang MP Noh Omar, who is also Selangor Umno chief, also blasted the Bar Council for its stand on recent issues, such as criticising the Federal Court’s verdict on Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy case.

“The Bar Council is no longer free. Instead, it has become an opposition political party,” Noh said when debating the royal address.

He also urged the government to revive the Malaysian Academy of Law Bill, which was dropped in 2002 because of strong objections from the Bar.

“I propose that the government bring back the bill so that we can be fair in taking care of the welfare of those in the legal profession.

“We had this bill, but unfortunately because of the council’s attack that it contradicts the Legal Profession Act, the government had to bow to the council’s demand,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of reviving the bill, Noh ( right ) accused the Bar Council of not heeding the sensitivity of Muslim members.

He claimed this was evident during the legal wrangle on the term ‘Allah’.

The Malaysian Academy of Law Bill was first tabled in 2002 but was dropped “out of respect for the Bar”.